Apple has invested a lot of money in CarPlay, and as such, wants all iPhone owners to use it and all automakers to adopt it. CarPlay is the integration between your iPhone and your vehicle when you connect it via the USB port. It allows you to access your iPhone through your car’s built-in display screen. This lets you easily listen to your music, respond to messages and calls, and use Apple Maps for navigation. We carry our smartphones everywhere, so it makes sense for Apple CarPlay to have vehicle-related functions.
However, BMW says that one function, the navigation, is actually not preferred by CarPlay users. Data from BMW doesn’t support the idea that CarPlay users rely on their iPhone for in-car navigation. Despite Apple releasing more CarPlay features and partnerships, such as being able to remotely connect to a smart home security system, it appears navigation may just not be a user favorite. Now with CarPlay Ultra entering the market, it seems not all automakers see a reason to support smartphone integrations.
What BMW is claiming about Apple CarPlay
BMW’s Senior Vice President of UI/UX Development, Stephan Durach, had some interesting data regarding the frequency of CarPlay use, especially for navigational purposes. This is based on BMW collecting data from 10 million vehicles, which is used to guide future decision-making for the cars. That is a fairly sizable amount, and definitely a good indicator of overall driver behavior.
According to Durach via BMWBLOG, “People say they’re driving all around and using CarPlay for navigation. I can tell you, that’s not true.” He continued, “They started using our own navigation,” and that “people have still their phone connected with CarPlay, but only for dedicated use cases.”
So, despite drivers still having CarPlay connected for other purposes like messaging, music, or changing the background, they have been relying on BMW’s own navigation system over Apple’s. Durach emphasized that this is due to BMW’s simple-to-use navigation setup, which includes an intuitive voice command system. It also boasts a Routines feature that aims to reduce how much you need to mess with your navigation while driving. This preference for the car’s own internal system is likely the reason why BMW is not going to offer support for the new CarPlay Ultra.
Apple CarPlay’s future
Apple is now ushering in CarPlay Ultra, the latest version of CarPlay. It claims to have more capabilities, deeper car integration, and a unique look that is based on each automaker. CarPlay Ultra began its release in May 2025 with Aston Martin, with plans to expand globally. In a statement regarding CarPlay Ultra to Apple Newsroom, Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing, Bob Borchers, stated, “iPhone users love CarPlay, and it has transformed how people connect with their vehicles.”
However, there are numerous vehicles where CarPlay may not be available at all. Tesla does not, as it already has its own internal system that does the same things. Rivian is another innovative electric vehicle company that doesn’t support CarPlay. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe spoke in a podcast hosted by The Verge regarding the reason why. Scaringe elaborated that Rivian’s internal system is very holistic and intuitive. Everything is meant to work together seamlessly. But if drivers use Apple CarPlay, then it takes them into a third-party app, and they will no longer have full control of the vehicle’s capabilities. They will have to then exit CarPlay to handle certain specific functions. The future for smart vehicles with comprehensive internal systems may mean that smartphone connections like CarPlay or Android Auto will become a thing of the past.
